Time-Bound

While many things bind us together as humans, time is one of the strongest. No matter what time zone you live and work in, we all only have 24 hours a day. With our few short years on earth, we all want to do something worthy of our time. We want to make a difference; leave an impact; change the world.

So as you decide how to invest your precious days, months, and years, here are some time-related idioms to help fuel your English communication:

Better late than never… – It’s better to do something or arrive after the expected time than to not do it or not arrive at all
Speaker 1: “Are we still going to try to go to that party tonight? It started 30 minutes ago…”
Speaker 2: “Better late than never…”

Time is money… – Time is a valuable resource, therefore it’s better to do things as quickly as possible.
You better get to work. Time is money you know.

That ship has sailed – It’s used in reference to an opportunity that has passed or a situation that can no longer be changed
Speaker 1: “Can’t you still apply for the scholarship?”
Speaker 2: “That ship has sailed…”

Miss the boat… – It’s too late. (similar to “that ship has sailed” but can also be used prior to it being too late)
Oh I need to remember to apply for that scholarship today. I don’t want to miss the boat.

Run like the wind – To run or move quickly (often because a deadline is approaching)
The office closes in 5 minutes! Run like the wind!

Bite the bullet and… – To do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating over
This weekend I think I will finally bite the bullet and clean my balcony. It’s a mess.

Call it a day… – To decide or agree to stop doing something
Well, I’m getting tired. Shall we call it a day?

Time flies when you’re having fun – You don’t know how long something lasts when it’s fun (sometimes used sarcastically as well when something isn’t really fun)
Speaker 1: “Wow. It’s already 5 o’clock?”
Speaker 2: “Yep. Time flies when you’re having fun.”